A CONMAN builder scammed elderly customers in Northwich and Runcorn out of thousands of pounds for fraudulent and substandard home improvement work. Adam Routledge, of Stenhills Crescent in Runcorn, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to an offence of fraud committed in Manchester. The 36-year-old also had two similar offences of fraud committed in Cheshire taken into consideration before being handed a prison sentence. Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Trading Standards team joined forces with Halton Trading Standards to investigate complaints about the defendant from vulnerable residents in Northwich and Runcorn. They later joined up with Manchester Trading Standards colleagues who were already taking a case against him for similar offences.
NEW dedicated cycle paths are being proposed to improve links between Frodsham and Helsby – and to make it a safer and more attractive mode of transport. Cheshire West and Chester Council is now urging people to have their say on the plans, which also include a number of footway improvements. The authority will be directly contacting residents and businesses on the route and talking with local groups and other stakeholders. Motorists using the road are also encouraged to participate in the consultation.
Here is what is being proposed along the A56 Chester Road between Frodsham and Helsby:
From Godscroft Lane to the Kings Church entrance (on the north western side of the A56), there will be a one direction, on the carriageway cycle facility protected from the adjacent traffic by a physical kerbed barrier. The existing footway is to be maintained for pedestrians. On the south eastern side, there will be a shared use pedestrian and cycle path.
CHESTER residents using the city s pay-as-you-go electric scooters have clocked up more than 11,000 miles from over 3,700 journeys in the first few weeks of the 12-month trial. Cheshire West and Chester Council has described the response to the scheme, which aims to encourage greener travel methods for shorter journeys, as very encouraging . However, the authority also highlighted some misuse issues which included the e-scooters being used by children and a couple of cases where they were hired for non-essential purposes when Covid-19 restrictions are currently in place. Since the trial started on December 21, the e-scooters have clocked up 11,226 miles from 3,776 journeys – the equivalent of nearly 13 trips from Land s End to John o Groats.
SNOW is forecast to hit Cheshire West and Chester tomorrow morning (January 8). The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice, which is in place from 5pm today until midnight tomorrow. Forecasters believe light snow is likely to fall between 8-10am as temperatures stay just above freezing throughout the day. Sleet is also expected in the early hours. The afternoon will then remain cloudy. As a result of the recent cold snap, Cheshire West and Chester Council says its highways team has moved up a gear in order to keep the road network running smoothly.